Feed mechanism for lathes



May 7, 1940. w. F. GROENE ET AL FEED MECHANISM FOR-LATHES Original FiledOct. 29, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Znmcntors. WlLLlAM EGROENE WILLARDLGROENE rmm y 1940. w. F. GROENE El AL 2,199,834

I FEED MECHANISM FOR LATHES Original Filed Oct. 29, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet2 3m HEJ F L 1% IE V IH i1 7 OMM/ fi Q mm I Y, 2m I m M 5m 5m m m .m\umm as am PM I mm 1/ I. I I J 0 2m I m5 vrm w mum I rm? 0 E AWN m5 7@NM/ Po mmm rum 3nnentors. WILLIAM F. QROENE WILLARD LGRIIENE name May7, 1940 PATENT OFFICE FEED MECHANISM roa m'rnns William F. Groenc andWillard L. Greene, Oincinnatl, Ohio, asaignors to Machine Tool Compcorporation of Delawar October 29. 1937, Serial No. and this applicationJanuary 252,796

1 Claim. 1. 74-838) Original application 111,700. Divided 25, 1939,Serial N lathe feed box including a cone gear and a shiftable geartransmission. a

An object is to provide a feed box having a wide range of feed changesand which is compact in design and smooth and quiet in operation.

And a further object is to provide a combined cone gear and shiftablegear transmission having a wide range of speed changes all of which isincorporated on only two shafts in the feed box.

The above features will be described in greater detail and additionalfeatures will be pointed out in the following description:

In the drawings:

Figure I is a-front elevation partly in'section of the feed box on line1-1 of Figure III, showing the general arrangement of the transmissionand control mechanism.

Figure II is a vertical elevation of the right hand end of the feed boxshowing the spade handle and indexing and locating plate for positioningthe tumbler pinion cylinder.

Figure 111 is a vertical elevation of the feed box as shown in Figure IIbut with the indexing and locating plate removed to show the interiorarrangement of parts and driving .connection from the headstockinterior.

Figure IV is a diagrammatic sectional view on the line -IV-IV of FigureIII showing in' detail the arrangement of of the tumbler operatingmechanism.

The novel feed box transmission ofour invention is completely enclosedin the feed box 8 and is flooded by' lubricant derived from theheadstock interior through the opening to which matches a similaropening to of the feed box 8, Fig. IV. The feed box is mountedon thefront of the headstock t, conveniently located with respect to theoperator. The feed box 8 has an accurately machined locating face 2)adapted to abut against an accurately machined locating face 2H providedon the front wall of the headstock 4. Suitable bolts 2I2 are providedpassing through the integral flanges 2H and 2 of the feed box 8 intoappropriate tapped holes in the locating faces Ill and Ill.

Referring particularly to Figs. III and IV, the drive for the feed boxis derived from a gear I29 mounted in the left hand wall 2l8 of the bythe oil seal the gearing and construction face 2 of the headstock l, tothereby v securely hold the box to the headstock and provide alubricant-tight connection between the The B. K. Le'Blond Cincinnati,Ohio, a

in the interior of the headstock 4 which drives the gear 2|! which isfixed in driving relation on the tumbler cylinder drive shaft 2l6. The

' left hand end, Fig. IV, of the shaft m is journaled in -a suitableanti-friction bearing 2| 7 feed box 8. A nut 2| 9 threaded to the shaft2l6 securely holds the inner race of the bearing 2|! and driving gear 2I 5 securely against the integral annular'flange 220 of the shaft 216.The bearing 2H is held in fixed axial position in the wall 2! ring 22ihaving the oil seal 222, by holding the outer race of the bearing 2|!against the shoulder 22 3 of the bore 224. The

' support for the drive shaft 2 l 6 to holdit in proper axial alignment.

'The feed box 8 has a very unique construction to provide ease ofoperation upon the part of the operator. The tumbler cylinder 22'! isjournaled for axial and pivotal motions in a bore 228 provided in atransverse partition 229 formed integral with the feed box 3 andjournaled in a bore 230 in the locating and indexing plate 23!, whichplate is secured to the right hand end 23la of the feed box 8 bysuitable screws 23lb. The tumbler pinion 226 is journaled on suitableantifriction bearings 232 and 233 in the relatively large bore 234 inthe locating collar 235 fixed in the bore 234 adjacent the bearing 232confines the bearings 232 and 233 and the tumbler pinion 226 between theinner face 23$ of the bore 23d and the face 23'! of the locating collar235 to thereby prevent substantially all axial movement inthe bore 234of the cylinder 22?. The tumbler gear 236 is journaled on the pin 238fixed in the radially extending bosses 260 and 2M der 22?. The radiallyextending slot 282 between the bosses 24c and 2M extends into the bore234 and provides means for axially positioning the gear 238 on the pin239 to thereby maintain driving engagement between the tumbler pinion226 and the tumbler gear 238 at all times. A clearance bore 243 isprovided in the tumbler cylinder 221 for the extended splined end 225 ofthe draft shaft H6.

The cone gear shaft anti-friction bearing 2 is journaled in an movementin the shaft. The

the drive shaft 2; is protumbler cylinder 221. A

formed integral with the cylin- .the tumbler gear in far removed shaftby the lock nut 251 which binds the cone of gears 249 against theshoulder 252 of the shaft 244 adjacentthe bearing 241.

We provide a very selectively engage the various gears of the cone ofgears 249. A manipulating handle 253, of a shape similar to that of aspade handle, has a cylindrical lug 254 snugly fitting in the bore 255in the right hand end 'of the tumbler cylinder 221 and secured in placeby means. of the pin 256. It can thus be seen that the manipulatinghandle 253 for rocking and axially moving the tumbler cylinder 221' islocated substantially on the axis of the cylinder 221.

We provide a unique arrangement for promoting easy selection of tumblergear positions of cone gear engagement and for securely holding selectedposition. In the manipulating handle 253 is provided a plunger 251, in adiametral bore 258, which has a tapered end 259 adapted to engage matingtapered locating and indexing holes 268 located in an arcuate projection26| formed integral with the plate 23! and having its radius ofcurvature of its upper surface 26la substantially concentric with theaxis of the cylinder 221. A spring 262 secured in the bore 258 by meansof the threaded plug 269, yieldingly urges the plunger 251 radiallyoutward relative to the axis of the tumbler cylinder 221 to thereby holdthe tapered end 259 of the plunger 251 in secure engagement with thevarious tapered holes 268. A trigger 264 pivotally mounted on a pin 265fixed in the handle 253 and having an integral arm 266 with a roundedend 261 engaging slot 268 in the plunger 251 provides means forwithdrawing the plunger from the tapered holes various'gear changes.

It is to be clearly noted that with the handle 258 gripped with the handand the plunger 251 withdrawn by pressure of the fingerson the trigger264 the cylinder may be rotated circumferentially and moved axially toselect the desired,

gear change. It is to be clearly noted that since the handle 253 islocated substantially on the axis of the cylinder 221', axial movementof the cylinder by means of the handle causes no binding or cocking ofthe cylinder in its journals 228 and 238 as is encountered in all of theprior con-- ventional feed change Another important improvement overprior construction is the location of the point of engagement of theindexing pin 251 with the tapered holes 268 radially from the axis ofthe cylinder 221 while at the same time having the plunger closelycoupled and located relatively near to the tumbler gear 238, notrelatively far removed on the end of the manipulating handle as in priorconstructions. I

In order to facilitate obtaining the proper gear selection, an inclinedportion 269 of the arcuate projection 26l, facing outward and upwardtransverse of the lathe, has formed on its upper edge 218 a series ofgear change finding notches in proper axial position on the novel andeasily operated control means for causing the tumbler gear 238 to andcylinder 268 when selecting the 2" corresponding in number and relativeposition to the gear changes obtainable ,from the cone of gears 249. Onthe handle. is formed an integral lug 212 having an arcuate indicatingblade 213 with a curvature concentric with the axis of the cylinder 221and of a width to pass with ample clearance through the slots 21l whenthe cylinder 221 is 214 is provided in the indicating blade 213 so thatwhen the handle 253, Fig. 11, has been rotated to its extreme clockwiseposition so that the end 215 of the the portion 216 of the inclinedportion 269, the cut-away portion 214 will then permit the handle to beshifted axially. An index plate 211 secured to the inclined portion 269has columns 218 coinciding with the various notches 21! which show thevarious threads and feeds obtainable in each of the notches selected.

The operation of shifting the cylinder is relatively simple. Theoperator grips the handle 253 and depresses the trigger 264 therebyreleasing the plunger 251 from tapered hole 268. The operator thenrotates the handle clockwise, Fig. II,'until the end 215 of the handle253 engages the surface 216 of the inclined portion 269 and at the sametime removing the indicating blade 213 from an indicating slot 21l.Under these conditions the cylinder 221 is free axially in eitherdirection its maximum travel. The desired thread index plate and thehandle 253 is moved axially until the blade 213 is positioned over theslot 21! coinciding with the column of the index plate in which thedesired thread or feed is found. The operator then merely rotates thecylinder counterclockwise which automatically causes the plunger 251 toengage in the proper tapered hole 268 to properly mesh the tumbler gear238 with the cone of gears 249. The main advantage of the indicatingnotches 21! and indicating blade rotated. A cut-away portion handle 25:is in contact with I to be moved is to enable the operator to quicklyand easily determine the proper setting of the tumbler cylinder relativeto the index plate, a feature distinctly lacking in all priorconstructions; This arrangement also prevents improper meshing of thetumbler gear 248 with the cone of gears 249 and also avoids thenecessity of jiggling the cylinder 221 in order to find the propertapered hole 268 for the locating plunger 251.

In order .to provide a wide range of threads and feeds beyond the scopeobtainable by means of the cone of gears 249 we provide a series ofcoarse speed changes in the feed box 8 in addition to the gear changesjust described. On the cone gear shaft 244 and integral therewithbetween the bearings 245 and 241, and adjacent the latter, is formed atwelve-tooth pinion 219. Adjacent the pinion 219 is secured to the shaft244 a compound gear 288 comprising "the small twentytooth gear 28! andthe larger thirty-tooth gear 282, the compound gear 288 being fixed indriving relation onthe shaft 244 by means of the key 283. Between thecompound gear 288 and the bearing 245 is journaled the compound gear284,

comprising the large forty -five-tooth gear 285- and the smallfifteen-tooth gear 286, having a bushing 281 fixed in its bore andadapted to rotate freely upon the bearing portion 288 of the shaft 2.

Closely associated and parallel with the shaft 244 is provided theoutput drive shaft 289 of the 8 the clutch gear adiacent'the pinion 294fully to the left, as shown partition 229. The bearing retainer 292having the lubricant seal 298 serves to properly adjust the bearings290- and 29l to eliminate substanttally all axial movement in shaft 289.Formed integral with the shaft 289 adjacent the bearing 290 and betweenthis bearing and the bearing 29! is a fifteen-tooth pinion .284.Adjacent the pinion 294 is rotatively mounted a pinion sleeve 288 havinga bearing bushing 298 fixed in its bore 281 adapted to revolve on thebearing portion 298 of the shaft 289. Between the pinion sleeve 295 andthe bearing 28! is rotatively mounted 299 having a bearing bushing 888fixed in its bore 80| adapted to revolve on the bearing portion 3020fthe shaft 289. The

clutch gear- 299 comprises a forty-eight-tooth gear 299a adapted toconstant engagement with the twelve-tooth pinion 219 of the shaft 244.Mounted for axial movement on the pinion sleeve 298 is a compound gear308 adapted to drive the sleeve 295 by means of a key 804 fixed in thesleeve and having sliding engagement in a suitable keyway in thecompound gear 303. The compound gear 308 comprises a small thirtytoothgear 305, a large forty-tooth gear 808, and clutch teeth 801 on the faceof the gear 808. When the compound gear 303 is shifted axially to itsextreme left position, Fig. IV, the gears 805 and 282 will be brought indriving engagement, when shifted to its intermediate position, as shownin Fig. IV, the gears 808 and 28| will be in driving relation, and whenthe compound gear 808 is shifted to its extreme right position theclutch teeth 301 will engage mating clutch teeth 808 on the face of thegear 299a, only one of the above combinations being engageable'at atime.

Formed integral with the pinion sleeve 295 and is a fifteen-tooth pinion809 of the same dimensions as the pinion 284 ofthe shaft 289, a portionof the pinion 809 removed from the pinion 294 constant drivingengagement On the pinion 294 is mounted a forty-tooth gear 8| 0 having abore 8 which is an internal gear snugly fitting about the teeth of thepinion 294 but permitting the gear 8! to be shifted axially of, theshaft 289. When the gear 8l0 is shifted in Fig. IV, it will be supportedonly. on the pinion 294 and will then be in driving engagement with thegear 286. When shifted fully to the right, the gear 8l0 will bedisengaged from the gear 288, the internal gear bore 8 of the gear 8l0will then engage over the portion of the pinion 309 adjacent the pinion294 so as to provide a positive driving connection between the shaft 289and pinion sleeve 295.

In noting the specific example of gear ratios here illustrated we wishto point out the very wide range of speeds obtainable from thisarrangement. A series of speed changes, between the cone shaft 244 andfeed output shaft 289, from one to thirty-two-to-one lows: With thegears 8i2 shifted to the right so that the sleeve 295 is connected indirect driving relation to the output shaft 289, engagement of gears 282and 305 provides a 1-to-1 ratio; engagement of gears 28l and 808provides a 2-to-1 ratio; and engagement of the clutches 801 and 808provides a 4-to-1 ratio. With the gear 3l0 shifted to the left engagingthe gear 888 an 8-to-l ratio is provided from the sleeve 295 and theoutput shaft 289 through the gear 809 driving gear 285 and gear 288driving gear 294;

with the gear 285.

' adapted to contact the being adapted to shifted positions areselected.

are obtained as fol-.

' this illustration to more clearlygive some idea of the wide range offeeds and threads obtainable from this novel, compact feed boxtransmission. it is to be clearly understood that we are in no waylimited in the scope of our invention to the specific example hereindisclosed. The means for selecting the six major speed changes of thefeed box transmission noted abovecomprises a control handle 8l2, Figs.I, II, III, V and VI, fixed to the transversely located rock shaft 8journaled in the front wall 3 and rear wall 8l5of the feed box 8. On theshaft 818 is fixed a gear 3I8 between the wall 8I5 and 8H and adjacentthe latter wall 3 which is adapted to engage a rack 3!! formed on thetop of the longitudinally located shifter rod 8| 8, the rod 3I8 beingmounted and axially slidable in the wall 218, in the partition'229, andin a base 8l9 formed integral with the wall 28la of the feed box. Fixedto the rod 8| 8 intermediate the wall 2l8 and partition-229 is a shifteryoke 820 compound gear 808 in the annular slot 3l2. Thus, by moving thehandle M2 to the right or left the rod 8| 8 through the rack M1 and gear8l6 will be moved axially and by means of the shifter yoke 320 thecompound ear 803 can be easily shifted to the respective positionsalready discussed. Indicating letters A,-

B, and C, shown in Fig. VI, are provided to show the position selectedrelative to the feeds and threads obtained as shown on the index plate211. These positions are shown in column 82l of the index plate 211. Adetent arrangement comprising the plunger 822 urged against the rod 8|8by a spring 828 in a suitable bore 824 in the boss 3l9 engages in thenotches 825 when proper shifted positions are selected- In a like mannerthe gear 8l0 is shifted by means of the handle 826, located directlyunder the handle 8l2, through the transverse rod 821, the gear 828, therack 829 on the rod 880, and the shifter yoke 88] fixed to the shaft andengaging around the gear 810. A detent means comprising the plunger 882urged against the rod 880 by a spring 888 in a suitable bore 884 in theboss 8! 9 engages in the notches 885 when proper Indicating letters, D,and E, shown in Figure VI, are provided to show the position selectedrelative to the feeds and threads obtained as shown on the index plate211. These positions are shown in column 386 of the index plate 211.

It can thus be seen from the above description that we have hereinprovided a feed box transmission of compact design and having a verywide range of feeds and threads which has a system of control leverssimple and easy to operate and which are conveniently located for-theopera r in close association with the control means for the headstock.It is unnecessary for the operator to bend over in order to read theindex plate or make the necessary manipulations of the control levers ofthe feed box as is an inherent defect in all prior constructions.

The driving power from the feed box 8 to the carriage control box 9 istransmitted through a series of conveniently located change gears at theleft hand endof the lathe. This drive comthequadrant 362, the idler gearin turn driving a gear of the same the gear 331 and size and number ofteeth as drive shaft 344 by means of the nut 3% in the same mannerprovided for mounting the gear 831. The quadrant is supported andclamped by suitable bolts 8% passing through elongated holes 3&1 inflanged portions 368 of the control box 9 so'that various sized changegears can be applied to the feed box output shaft 289, the control boxdrive shaft 3, and the quadrant stud 341. standard arrangement utilizedin operating the lathe in low back gear, high back gear, and highspindle speeds when it is desired to obtain the standard ranges of feedsand threads for use with these spindle speeds. When it is desired toobtain metric threads and feeds the usual metric transposinggeartransmission may be substituted for the gearing described, the gearsbeing made quadrant stud 35 i r said shafts comprisinga removablymounted on the The gearing just described is the with helical teeth andof relatively wide face to insure quiet running and long life. i Thewide faces also permit applying compound gears of normal width of faceto the desired odd feed and lead of 'thread'may be obtained with thislathe bymerely applying the proper of these gears; v

Having fully set forth and described our invention what we claim is: l

In a change speed transmission, an input shaft, an output shaft, changespeed gearing between pinion formed on said input shaft, a small gearfixed on said input shaft, and a large gear fixed on said shaft, a

gearing in place compound gear rotatably journaled on said input 15shaft, '9. gear rotatably journaled on said output shaft arranged to bein constant engagement with said pinion of the input shaft, a. sleevegear rotatably journaled on said output shaft and arranged'in constantmesh with compound gear journaled on said input shaft, a compoundg'earslidably mounted on said, sleeve gear having its gears. arranged toengage the small and largegears fixed and having clutching means forengaging the gear rotatably mounted on said output shaft, and

a gear slidably mounted in driving relationship on the output shaftarranged to alternately engage a gear of said compound gear j ournaledon said input shaft and the sleeve gear journaled on said output shaft.i

F. GROENE. WILLARD L. GROENE.

a gear of said 2 on said input shaft

